Except brinjal, prices of other vegetables soar due to hot temperature and low production in Visakhapatnam

Prices likely to decrease in the next few weeks, say officials

Consumers buying tomatoes at MVP Rythu Bazaar in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: V. RAJU

Prices of vegetables see a spike in the last few weeks in the city markets. Except brinjal, prices of almost all the vegetables have been varying from ₹30 to ₹80 per kg in the rythu bazaars. In private markets, they are sold at double the price. Hot summer conditions and low production are said to be the reasons behind the price hike.

On June 11 (Tuesday), in rythu bazaars, one kg of tomato is being sold at ₹50, while the price of onion and potato is ₹37 and ₹28 (per kg) respectively. One kg of carrot was sold at ₹30 and cabbage was ₹24. Cauliflower was being sold at ₹46 per kg, while cucumber is at ₹21/kg. Similarly, the price of lady’s finger was ₹34/kg, ridge gourd and bitter gourd were being sold at ₹46/kg each. The price of snake bean (Barbatti) is ₹50 per kg. Among all the vegetables, the price of beans is the highest. At present, two varieties of beans are being sold across the Rythu Bazaars at ₹84 and ₹110 (per kg). green potato (potals) is being sold at ₹32/kg, while capsicum is sold at ₹80/kg.

The price of these vegetables in private markets and street vendors is almost doubled. For example, price of one kg tomato is being sold for ₹80 to ₹90, while Potatoes are being sold at ₹60.

As per the Marketing Department officials, tomato which comes from Madanapalli, Anantapur and Chittoor is not arriving in sufficient quantities due to low production. The price hike may continue for the next two weeks, only after which more tomatoes are expected to arrive from Palamaneru and other regions of Rayalaseema and Andhra-Karnataka border areas. Similarly, the prices of onions generally increase during summer every alternate year, as the farmers from Maharashtra, where most of the onions are grown, lower their production every alternate year.

In most of the rythu bazaars, there is adequate quantity of brinjal, as most of the stock is being brought from surrounding areas of Visakhapatnam. Similarly, carrot which is being brought from West Bengal and Secunderabad is also said to be available in adequate quantity.

Estate Officer of MVP Rythu Bazaar, the biggest rythu bazaar in the city, G. Prasad Rao, said that hot temperatures and low crop cultivation are the reasons for the inadequate supply of the vegetables, which has led to price hike. He said that the prices may come under control in the next few weeks.

Apart from the basic vegetables, one kg of ginger was being sold at ₹160 per kg. As of now, ginger is being brought from Similiguda of Alluri Sitharama Raju district and some parts of Andhra-Odisha Border (AOB). Once more quantity of ginger was procured from Bengaluru, the price is likely to come down. The price of garlic is ₹180 per kg. Generally, garlic is imported from Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

It was learnt that the price of green leafy vegetables is also soaring. One kg of coriander is being sold at ₹180. Last week, the price was around ₹80.